Gallant: We will not accept a Hamas government

In a possibly implicit rebuke of a proposed hostage deal wherein Israel would withdraw entirely from the Gaza Strip and leave Hamas intact, Defense Minister Gallant said that "in any ending process of the war, we will not accept Hamas rule."

Gallant said that "we are advancing a governmental alternative in which we will isolate areas, remove the heads of Hamas, and introduce other forces which will allow a different government."

"These two actions - a military operation on the one hand and the ability to change the government on the other, will bring about two of the goals of this war - bringing down the government of Hamas and its military power and returning the hostages."